Power-operated typewriter having two distinctly separated type-bar groups



Nov. 16, 1965 A. GENTILINI 3,217,853 POWER-OPERATED TYPEWRITER HAVING TWO DISTINCTLY SEPARATED TYPE-BAR GROUPS Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 16, 1965 A. GENTILINI 3,217,853

POWER-OPERATED TYPEWRITER HAVING TWO DISTINCTLY SEPARATED TYPE-BAR GROUPS Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. GENTlLlNl POWER-OPERATED TYPEWRITER HAVING TWO DISTINGTLY Nov. 16, 1965 SEPARATED TYPE-BAR GROUPS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1962 Nov. 16, 1965 A. GENTILlNl 3,217,853

POWER-OPERATED TYPEWRITER HAVING TWO DISTINCTLY SEPARAIED TYPE-BAR GROUPS Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 LET United States Patent 3,217,853 POWER-OPERATED TYPEWRITER HAVING TWO DISTINCTLY SEPARATED TYPE-BAR GROUPS Augusto Gentilini, Via dei Mille 36, Rome, Italy Filed July 5, 1962, Ser. No. 207,527 Claims priority, application Italy, July 6, 1961, 12,190/61, 12,191/61 Claims. (Cl. 197-17) This invention relates to a power-operated typewriter having a support, a set of depressible keys, a set of typecarriers each one associated with one of said keys and made of metallic sheet, and a platen having a common printing point for said typecarriers. More particularly, this invention relates to a typewriter of the kind wherein said typecarriers are mounted at differential positions on said frame for individual movement of each one of said types along a path substantially tangent to said platen towards a location in front of said printing point, whereby upon depressing a key first the associated typecarrier is so moved and then a power-operated common hammer strikes the corresponding type against the platen to effect the impression.

In a known machine of this kind each type is secured to the narrow end edge of the corresponding typelever. The typelever is fulcrumed on a stationary pivot by means of a slot in order to be adapted to be first rocked about the pivot and to be then shifted along the slot toward the platen. Since said slot is formed at one end of the typelever it is not capable of perfectly guiding the striking movement of the typelever and is subject to an irregular wear. Furthermore, to avoid bending of the typelever, this latter requires to be made of a thick metallic sheet, whereby the machine is heavy.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a typewriter obviating the above disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a typewriter wherein the movement of each typecarrier requires a very light effort by the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a typewriter wherein the common hammer is operated by a highly efficient motor.

According to the invention, in a typewriter of the above referred type I now provide a type on a flat portion of the sheet of each typecarrier, said portion upon approaching the location in front of the printing point being movable in a plane substantially tangent to the platen, the power-operated common hammer being adapted to additionally move said portion from said location perpendicularly to said plane to strike said type against said platen.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of two preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial left-hand longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of a typewriter according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a detail of FIG. 1 in an operated position;

FIG. 2A is a schematic plan view of typelevers presenting type-bearing portions at a printing point.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the typewriter of FIG. 1;

. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken on the line 3,217,853 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 IV-IV of FIG. 1, with some mechanisms in an operated position;

FIG. 5 is a partial left-hand longitudinal; sectional View of a second embodiment of a typewriter according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a detail of FIGS. 1 to 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VIIVII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an electric diagram of the typewriter of FIG. 5.

With reference to FIG. 1, the typewriter comprises a set of depressible type keys 8 each one secured to a key lever 9 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot wire 10. Associated with each key 8 is a typecarrier 12 (FIG. 2) made of metallic sheet material. Provided on a flat portion 16 of the sheet of each type carrier 12 is a type or a pair of types, namely a lower case type 13 and an upper case type 14. The typewriter further comprises a paper supporting platen 7, whereat said typelevers 12 have a common printing point 5. The typecarriers 12 are guided operatively in individual slots 19 of segment means 18 in planes which converge generally at said printing point for movement of each type 13 or 14 along a. path substantially tangent to the platen 7 towards a location slightly in front of the printing point 5.

More particularly, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4 the typecarriers are in form of typelevers fulcrumed on a common circular pivot wire 17 mounted on the sta tionary support or segment 18. Specifically, the pivot wire 17 comprises in front of the platen roll 7, to each lateral side of the printing point 5, in a common plane which extends transversely of the machine, an arcuate expanse of pivot wire, which each expanse has its bight facing in said common plane toward the platen roll at the printing point. The metallic sheet material of the typelevers 12 is very thin and is elastically deformable, being made, for instance, of hardened steel. A main, large planar portion of each typelever is guided in its slot 19 and in view of its largeness is relatively stiff. The portion 16 of each typelever 12 is provided with a slot 20 producing two branches, bearing one a type 13, and the other a type 14. These branches have a side-by-side relationship in respect to each other, each having a type-character thereon at the end remote from the large-area, main typelever portion. Said branches are of correlated forms so that either with its type is selectively presentable at the printing point and individually flexible thereagainst. In the illustrated embodiment said correlation involves one branch being curving toward the other. The portions 16 are bent at 21 from said main portions at angles which are progressively increasing from the outer typelevers 12 to the innermost typelevers so that when any typelever 12 is rocked about its pivot the portion 16 upon approaching the location in front of the printing point will then reside substantially in a plane 6 tangent to the platen 7. More specifically, any operated typelever 12 will place its type-bearing portion 16 in a plane which at the printing point 5 is tangent to an imaginary cylinder which is slightly larger than and concentric with the platen roll 7.

Due to the thinness of the typelevers 12 the notches or guide slots 19 of the basket 18 at each lateral side of the printing point 5 may be arranged very closely in converging planes, whereby on one hand the segment 18 may have a small overall size, and on the other hand the conventional number of typelevers may be located or concentrated at each side of the printing point as distinctly separated groups on limited angular segment portions 18, leaving therebetween a central clearing 22, FIG- URE 3. It will be noted that the type-bearing portions 16 of the typelevers of each opposite group, when operated, reach out parallel to the platen toward the other group. w

Means controlled by each depressed key 8 are provided for moving the associated typecarrier 12. More particularly, said means comprise for each key 8 a link 23 (FIG. 1) engaging a two-branched slot 24 provided on the corresponding key lever 9, said link being guided by a stationary comb plate 25 for movement in the longitudinal plane of the key lever 9. The slot 24 is L- shaped, and is normally engaged by the link 23 in its vertical branch which is effective tomove the link, the horizontal branch being ineffective to move same.

A flexible wire 26 (FIGS. 1 and 3) is connected at one end to the link 23 and at the other end to the corresponding typelever 12 in such a manner to rock the typelever 12 clockwise upon depression of the corresponding key 8. Due to the different planes of movement of the links 23 and the corresponding typelevers 12 the various wires 26 are guided by a curved comb plate 27, which is substantially concentrical with the basket 18. A spring 28 normally urges each link 23 rearwards, thus causing the typelevers 12 to contact the plate 27.

A power-operated common hammer 30 (FIGS. 1 and 4) is provided for all the typecarriers 12 to engage the flat portion 16 of the typecarrier 12 moved upon depression of the associated key 8 for additionally moving said portion from the location in front of the printing point perpendicularly to the plane 6 to strike the corresponding type against the platen 7. More particularly, said hammer is adapted to engage the flat face of said portion opposed to the selected type 13 or 14. The hammer 30 is secured to a bail 31 secured to a shaft 33 of an oscillatable electric motor, generically indicated by the numeral 34.

The motor 34 (FIGS. 6 and 7) comprises a stationary element formed of a cylindrical permanent magnet 35 axially hollowed to house a hub 36 wherein the shaft 33 is rockably mounted. The magnetic path of the magnet 35 follows a direction perpendicular to the geometric axis thereof, namely the vertical direction, as seen in FIG. 6. The magnetic path of the magnet 35 is closed through a stationary hub 37 of paramagnetic material surrounding the magnet 35 and connected thereto by a pair of nonmagnetic members 37 Secured to the shaft 33 is an oscillatable element or structure, generically indicated by 38, comprising a pair of arms 39 connected by two transverse plates 40. The element 38 is made of electrically insulating material and is longitudinally covered by an electric winding 41, so as to be forced counterclockwise when the electric circuit of the winding 41 is closed. The shaft 33 and the structure 38 may be regarded to be a transitorily actuatable means.

The circuit of the winding 41 may be closed by a switch 43 (FIGS. 1 and 3) adapted to be operated by a portion 44 of a universal member or bail 45 formed of a suitably bent wire rockably mounted on a pair of projections 46 of the basket 18. Two curved bent portions 47 (FIGS. 1 and 4) of the universal bail 45 are adapted to be engaged by the type levers 12 when operated, in order to rock the universal bail 45 clockwise.

The bail 31 is provided with a forked arm 48 (FIG. 1) adapted to operate a switch 49 which is serially connected with the switch 43 and is normally closed. The switch 49 is first operated by the forked arm 48 at the end of its counterclockwise rotation in a manner to be Op and e at the end of its clockwise return in a manner to be closed.

The two arms of the bail 31 are each one connected by means of a corresponding link 51 (FIG. 4) to a corresponding universal bar 52 formed of a bent wire rockably mounted on a stationary bracket 53. A curved portion 54 of the universal bar 52 is adapted to engage a shoulder 55 of each typelever 12 upon being partially rocked clockwise in order to complete the movement of the type 13 or 14 to the printing point.

The two arms of the bail 31 are further connected each one by means of a link 56 (FIG. 1) to a universal bail 57 pivoted on a stationary shaft 58 and adapted to engage a forward end 59 of each link 23 when this latter is moved forward, in order to shift the link 23 from the vertical to the horizontal branch of the slot 24.

The typewriter according to this first embodiment operates as follows:

Upon depression of a key 8 (FIG. 1) the corresponding keylever 9 is rocked counterclockwise and shifts the link 23 forwards (rightwards in FIGS. 1 and 3). The link 23 on one hand locates its end 59 above the universal bar 57, on the other hand through the wire 26 it partially rocks the typelever 12 clockwise. The bent portion 47 (FIG. 1) of the universal bail 45 is now engaged by the rocked typelever 12 and through the por-' tion 44 operates the switch 43 which thus will temporarily close the circuit of the motor 34. The oscillatable element 38 of the motor 34 is thus forced to oscillate counterclockwise (FIG. 6) together with the shaft 33 and the bail 31.

At the beginning of the oscillation of the bail 31, each arm thereof through the corresponding link 51 (FIG. 4) rocks the universal bar 52. The portion 44 of the bar 52 now engages the shoulder 55 of the typelever 12, which through initial operation of the typelever became placed into the operating path of the universal bar portion 54, whereby the said typelever is then power rocked to locate the lower case type 13 in front of the printing point, as shown in FIG. 4.

At the end of the counterclockwise oscillation of the bail 31 the hammer 30 engages the typelever 12 on the face opposite the type 13 and by temporarily deforming same it strikes the type 13 against the platen. The notch 20 enables the type 14 to remain unaffected by the action of the hammer 30.

Simultaneously, the bail 31 on one hand by means of the forked arm 48 operates the switch 49 thus opening the circuit of the motor 34, and, on the other hand by means of the links 56 it rocks the universal bail 58 which engages the end 59 of the operated link 23 and displaces same to the horizontal branch of the slot 24. A spring 60 restores now the bail 31, whereas the spring 28 corresponding to the depressed key 8 restores the typelever 12 together with the wire 26 and the link 23 even if the key is held depressed, whereby a repeated impression of the type 13 is prevented. At the end of the return movement of the bail 31 the forked arm 48 operates again the switch 49 to close same, whereby the typewriter is restored to its initial, normal position. It will be seen that the connection at the slot constitutes an operatively disruptable connection which becomes restored only if both the type key and the universal bail or member 57 become restored.

The types 13 and 14 are located on the portion 16 of each typelever 12 at equal distances from the pivot 17, whereby when the typelever 12 is rocked the paths of the two types 13 and 14 are coincident. To select the lower or upper case type to be placed in front of the printing point, stop means are provided for the typelevers 12. These stop means are formed of two stop elements 61, each one being provided for the group of typelevers 12 arranged at either side of the central aperture 22. Normally the stop elements 61 are located in the position shown in FIG. 4 with respect to the typelevers 12, whereby the rocking movement of the typelevers 12 is arrested when the corresponding lower case type 13 is in front of the printing point.

By depressing a conventional shift key not shown in the drawings, the two stop elements 61 are simultaneously shifted from the position of FIG. 4 to the position shown by full lines in FIG. 2. The typelevers 12 are .now arrested by the stop elements 61 through the projection 62 whereby the upper case type 14 will now be placed in front of the printing point.

In order to be accurately placed in each one of the two above positions, each typelever may be provided with two holes 63 and 64 (FIGS. 1 to 3) mutually distanced apart as the two types 13 and 14. Said holes are adapted to be engaged by a projection 65 of the hammet 30 which will thus adjust the position of the typelever 12 before striking the selected type against the platen 7.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the typecarriers comprise each one a flat slide 70 having an elastically deformable portion 71 made of metallic sheet. A pair of types, namely a lower case type 72 and an upper case type 73, are secured to the downward fiat face of the portion 71. Each slide 70 forms the movable core of an individual electromagnet 74 and is normally urged by a spring 75 to contact through a projection 76 a stationary stop bar 77. The slides 70 are arranged in four rows and twelve columns and are all converging towards a location in front of the printing point of the platen 7, which is stationarily mounted on the machine frame. The slides 70 are mounted on a transversely movable carriage comprising a support of insulating material 78 secured to a pair of flank plates 79 and a transverse plate 80. Grooved rollers 81 rotably mounted on pivots 82 of the plate 80 cooperate with a pair of transverse rails 83 to enable the carriage to slide transversely with respect to the platen 7.

Transversely secured to the plates 79 is a bail 84 provided with a hammer 85 adapted to engage the portion 71 of the typecarriers on its face opposite the type 72 or 73 to strike the selected type against a platen 7. The bail 84 is slidable on a transverse shaft 87 having a projection 88 adapted to move the bail 84 angularly bodily with the shaft 87. This shaft at one end is rockably mounted on a machine frame, not shown in the drawings, and at the other end is secured to the shaft 33 of the motor 34 (FIG. 6).

The winding of each electromagnet 74 is serially connected by means of a flexible cable to the winding 41 of the motor 34 (FIG. 8) and to a corresponding individual switch 90, 91 secured to a pair of tranverse stationary bars 92 and 93 of insulating material. The switches 90, 91 are thus connected to the winding of the motor 34 by means of a universal member formed of a common wire 94. Each switch 90, 91 may be operated by a corresponding lever 96 (FIG. 5), fulcrumed at 97 and having a bent lug 98 normally located on the path of a first step 99 of a stepped plate 100. This plate is linked to a corresponding lever 101 pivoted at 102 and provided with a conventional key 103.

The plate 100 is further provided with a projection 104 adapted to be engaged by a universal bail 106 pivoted at 107. A link 108 connected to the bail 106 engages a slot 109 of a crank lever 110 secured to the shaft 87 The lever 110 is provided with a forked arm 111 adapted to operate the switch 49 (FIG. 8).

The typewriter according to the embodiment of FIG. 5 operates as follows:

As the depression of a key 103 the corresponding key lever 101 shifts the plate 100 rearwards, thus rocking the lever 96 counterclockwise. The corresponding switch 90, 91 is thus operated and energizes the corresponding electromagnet 74. The slide 70 is thus moved upwards in the position shown for the lowermost slide 70, whereby the portion 71 is moved on a plane substantially tangent to 6 the platen 7 to locate the type 72 in front of the printing point.

Simultaneously, the switch 90, 91 energizes the winding 41 of the motor 34 which will oscillate the shaft 87 together with the lever 110 and the bail 84. Due to the inertia of the hammer and to the stroke to be travelled by the bail 84, the hammer 85 will engage the portion 71 after the type 72 has reached the proper location before the printing point. The hammer 85 moves now the portion 71 perpendicularly to the above tangent plane to strike the type 72 against the platen.

At the end of the counterclockwise oscillation of the lever 110, on one hand the forked arm 111 operates the switch 49 thus disenergizing the winding 41 and the electromagnet 74, whereby the shaft 87 is restored by a spring 1112 together with the lever and the bail 84, on the other hand the slide 70 is restored by its spring 75. Simultaneously, the lever 110 through the link 108 rocks the universal bail 106 clockwise, whereby the bail 106 engages the projection 104 of the plate 100 corresponding to the depressed key 103 and disengages the step 99 from the lug 98. The lever 96 leaves now the switch 90, 91 when no current flows through the electromagnet 74, whereby the sparks thereon are prevented and the impression is not repeated even if the key 103 is held depressed.

In order to have a repeated impression the plate 100 is provided with a second step 113, whereas pivoted at 107 is a bail 114 adapted to be engaged by the key levers 101 and normally urged by a spring 115 to contact a stationary stop 116.

If a repeated impression is required the key 103 must be depressed through an additional stroke to rock, through the key lever 101, the bail 114 against the urge of the spring 115. When the first impression is effected the universal bar 106 disengages the step 99 from the lug 98 of the lever 96. The lug 98 is now engaged by the step 113 which due to the additional stroke of the key 103 will hold the corresponding lever 96 rocked. Thus the electromagnet 7 4 is not deenergized and the slide 70 is not restored. The bail 84 will oscillate continuously under the control of the sole switch 49 thus effecting a repeated impression of the type 72.

To select the type 72 or 73 to be placed in front of the printing point a structure 117 is provided which comprises a pair of arms 118 fulcrumed on a pair of pivots 119 secured to the side plates 79 of the carriage 78, see FIG. 5, and which further comprises a set of transverse bars 120 agapted to cooperate with the projections 76 of the slides 7 The bars 120 are normally out of the path of the projections 76, whereby each slide 70 is arrested with its projection '7 6 against the end of the corresponding electromagnet 74 when the lower case type 72 is in front of the printing point.

By depressing a conventional shift key not shown in the drawings, the structure 117 is rocked clockwise about the pivots 119, whereby the bars 120 are placed on the path of the projections 76 as shown by a broken line in FIG. 5. At the depression of a key 103 the corresponding slide 70 is now arrested with its project-ion 76 against the bar 120, thus placing the upper case type 73 in front of the printing point.

It is intended that many changes, improvements, and additions of part may be made to the typewriter according to the invention without departing from the scope thereof. For example, the typelevers 12 of FIGS. 1 to 4 could be rocked partially or totally by individual electromagnets operated in a manner similar to that of the electromagnet 74 of FIG. 5. Delaying means such as a condenser may be inserted in the circuit of the motor 34 to be operated subsequently to the operation of the electromagnets 74.

Furthermore, in order to obtain a different impression of the lower case type and the upper case type, the bar 92 could be provided with a second set of contact switches adapted to substitue the contact switches 90 by transversely shifting the bar 92 at the depression of the shift key.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4 it has been assumed to use the stop elements 61 to arrest the typelevers 12 both in their lower and in their upper case position. It may be imagined as well to use the basket 18 itself for arresting the stroke of the typelevers 12, for example in their lower case position, While inserting the stop elements 61 into their path to arrest their stroke in their upper case position.

Moreover, as far as the types themselves are concerned, it may be assumed to secure them to the typecarriers by the usual soldering method. However, thanks to the thin metallic sheet structure of the typecarriers it may be advantageously imagined to directly emboss the types into said sheet, thereby further 1owering both the cost of the typewriter and the weight of the typecarriers.

Finally, the motor 34 may be connected to the hammer by means of a crank lever and a connecting rod in order to obtain a desirable progressively accelerated motion of the hammer. The motor 34 in turn may comprise, instead of a permanent magnet, a stator having windings serially connected to the winding of the oscillating element.

It has been assumed up to now that the typecarriers are made of metallic sheet. Of course, another suitable sheet material having comparable features may be substituted therefor, for example a synthetic resin.

What we claim is:

1. In a power-operated typewriter having a platen roll and having also a series of downhanging typelevers arranged in front of the platen roll in generally converging planes for underslung swinging movement rearwardly and upwardly to bring types resiliently borne thereon from diversive locations remote to a common printing point at said platen roll to a location thereat closely in front of said point but slightly spaced therefrom, the combination of:

(a) pivot wire means for said typelevers comprising in front of the platen to each side of the printing point, in a common plane which extends transversely of the machine, an arcuate expanse of pivot wire with each expanse having its bight facing in said common plane toward the platen roll at the printing point;

(b) segment means supporting said two pivot wire expanses and affording for said typelevers at each lateral side of the printing point a group of guideslots in converging planes and which as groups are distanced laterally of the machine from each other;

(c) said typelever being each one made of a sheet material blank and having each a relatively largearea stiff planar portion guided in its related segment slot and having each also a two-branched type-bearing portion angularly diverting from its large-area type-lever portion, said branches being separated by a slot and located in a side-by-side relationship to each other and thus being independently flexible, each of said branches carrying a type-character at the end remote from said large-area typelever portion, one of said branches extending past the end of the other of said branches and being curved toward said other branch whereby, when said typelever is operated, said two type characters are positioned on a common vertical axis of said typecharacters so that operation of any typelever to two different extents will place respectively one or the other of said type-bearing branches selectively in front of the platen roll in a plane which is tangent to an imaginary cylinder that is slightly larger than and concentric with the platen roll, each branch when so selectively placed having a type locally facing individually the printing point and being adapted to be flexed operatively independently of the other toward the platen roll at the printing point, said typelever guide slots as groups being distanced laterally of the machine so that normally the type-bearing portions of the two nearest typelevers belonging oppositely to the two slot groups are disposed with a clearing therebetween;

(d) means to predetermine said different operating extents of said typelevers;

(e) means to operate said typelevers selectively to the extents predeterminable by said last means;

(f) and power means operable locally in a direction toward said platen roll at said printing point to actuate only such type-bearing branch which by a selective extent operation of a typelever is placed to face locally said printing point.

2. In a power-operated typewriter having a platen roll and a series of downhanging typelevers arranged in front of the platen roll in generally converging planes for underslung swinging movement rearwardly and upwardly to bring types resiliently borne thereon from diversive locations remote to a common printing point at said platen roll to a location thereat slightly spaced therefrom, the combination of:

(a) pivot wire means for said typelevers comprising in front of the platen roll to each side of the printing point, in a common plane which extends transversely of the machine, an arcuate expanse of pivot wire with each expanse having its bight facing in said common plane toward the platen roll at the printing point;

(b) segment means supporting said two pivot wire expanses and affording for said typelevers to each side of the printing point a group of guide-slots in converging planes and as groups distanced laterally of the machine from each other;

(c) said typelevers being each one made of a sheet material blank and comprising each a relatively large-area stiff planar portion guided in its segment slot and having each also a narrower and more flexible two-branched type-bearing portion, said twobranched type-bearing portions being angularly diverting from the planes of their related large-area typelever portions at various angles of less than said branches being separated by a slot and located in a side-by-side relationship to each other and thus being independently flexible, each of said branches carrying a type-character at the end remote from said large-area typelever portion, one of said branches extending past the end of the other of said branches and being curved toward said other branch whereby, when said typelever is operated, said two type characters are positioned on a common vertical axis of said type-characters so that operation of any typelever to two different extents will place respectively one or the other of said type-bearing branches selectively in front of the platen roll in a plane which is tangent to an imaginary cylinder that is slightly larger than and concentric with the platen roll, each branch when so selectively placed having a typecharacter locally facing individually the printing point and being adapted to be flexed operatively independently of the other toward the platen roll at the printing point;

(d) said type-bearing portion of any operated typelever belonging to either converging slot group reaching from its related large-area lever portion at one side of the printing point, in said tangent plane toward the lateral side of the printing point whereat the other converging slot group is situated;

(e) said typelevers being normally downhanging from said segment slots as two distance lateral groups and the type-bearing portions of the two nearest typelevers so downhanging and oppositely belonging to said 9 r two groups being diverting from their related largearea lever portions toward each other;

(if) said guide slots as groups being distanced laterally of the machine so that normally said two nearest type-bearing portions which are diverting toward each other are disposed with a clearing therebetween;

(g) a type key for each typelever;

(h) type-key responsive means to impart initial swinging movements to said typelevers;

(i) normally inactive universal means adapted for operation to complete the swinging movement of any typelever;

(3') means conditionable by the initial movement imparted to any typelever, to render such typelever, exclusive of the others, operable by said universal means;

(k) means actuatable rearwardly toward the platen roll,

against the type-bearing portion of any operated typelever to flex such portion printingly against said platen at the printing point;

(1) transistorily actuable power means associated with said universal means and said rearwardly actuatable means, and responsive to said key-responsive means to effect in automatic succession first a completing movement of any typelever having received its initial operating movement by the type-key responsive means, and then to effect the actuation of the rear- Wardly actuatable means against the type-bearing por tion which has become placed in front of the printing point;

(m) an operatively disruptable motion-transmitting connection embodied in each type-key responsive means, which connection when disrupted, permits typelever restoration regardless of sustained typekey operation;

(n) means including a universal member common to all disruptable connections and operable by the transitory actuation of said power means;

() said type-key responsive means including each an element placeable into the operating range of said universal member;

(p) and means responsive to the operation of the universal member to act on any so placed element and thereby to render the related disruptable connection disrupted until both the operated type key and the universal member become restored.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2;

(q) each said disruptable connection comprising a keyoperable lever having a two-branched slot,

(r) and comprising further a link jointed normally operatively with such lever in one of its two slot branches, each of said links embodying one of said stated elements so that when any of such elements is acted on by said universal member, there is automatically effected a disjointment of the operated link from said one slot branch into the other slot branch for idle non-transmitting support therein.

4. In a power-operated typewriter having a platen roll and a series of downhanging typelevers arranged in front of the platen roll in generally converging planes for underslung swinging movement rearwardly and upwardly to bring types resiliently borne thereon from diversive locations remote to a common printing point at said platen roll to a location thereat slightly spaced therefrom, the combination of:

(a) pivot wire means for said typelevers comprising in front of the platen roll to each side of the printing point, in a common plane which extends transversely of the machine, an arcuate expanse of pivot wire with each expanse having it bight facing in said common plane toward the platen roll at the printing point;

(b) segment means supporting said two pivot wire expanses and affording for said typelevers to each side of the printing point a group of guide-slots in converging planes and as groups distanced laterally of the machine from each other;

(c) said typelevers being each one made of a sheet material blank and comprising each a relatively largearea stiff planar portion guided in its segment slot and having each also a narrower and more flexible two-branched type-bearing portion, said two-branched type-bearing portions being angularly diverting from the planes of their related large-area typelever portions at various angles of less than said branches being separated by a slot so that they extend from near said large-area typelever portion in a side-byside relationship and are independently flexible, each of said branches having a type-character at an extending end remote from said large-area typelever portion, and said side-by-side relationship branches being of such correlated forms and having each its type-character so located thereon that operation of any typelever to two different extents will place respectively one or the other of said type-bearing branches selectively in front of the platen roll in a plane which is tangent to any imaginary cylinder that is slightly larger than and concentric with the platen roll, and so that each branch when so selectively placed has its type-character locally facing individually the printing point and is adapted to be flexed operatively independently of the other toward the platen roll for the type-character thereon to effect an imprint at the printing point;

((1) said type-bearing portion of any operated typelever belonging to either converging slot group reaching from its related large-area lever portion at one side of the printing point, in said tangent plane toward the lateral side of the printing point whereat the other converging slot group is; situated;

(e) said typelevers being normally downhanging from said segment slots as two distanced lateral groups and the type-bearing portions of the two nearest typelevers so downhanging and oppositely belonging to said two groups being diverting from their related large-area lever portions toward each other;

(f) said guide slots as groups being distanced laterally of the machine so that normally said two nearest type-bearing portions which are diverting toward each other are disposed with a clearing therebetween;

(g) a type key for each typelever;

(h) type-key responsive means to impart initial swinging movements to said typelevers;

(i) normally inactive universal means adapted for operation to complete the swinging movement of any typelever;

(j) means conditionable by the initial movement imparted to any typelever, to render such typelever, exclusive of the others, operable by said universal means;

(k) means actuatable rearwardly toward the platen roll,

against the type-bearing portion of any operated typelever to flex such portion printing against said platen at the printing point;

(1) transitorily actuatable power means associated with said universal means and said rearwardly actuatable means, and responsive to said key-responsive means to effect in automatic succession first a completing movement of any typelever having received its initial operating movement by the type-key responsive means, and then to effect the actuation of the rear- Wardly actuatable means against the type-bearing portion which has become placed in front of the printing point;

(m) an operatively disruptable motion-transmitting connection embodied in each type-key responsive means, which connection when disrupted, permits typelever restoration regardless of sustained typekey operation;

(n) means including a universal member common to 1 1 all disruptable connections and operableby the transitory actuation of said power means;

1 (0) said type-key responsive means including each an element placeable into the operating range of said universal member;

(p) and means responsive to the operation of the universal member to act on any so placed element and thereby to render the related disruptable connection disrupted until both the operated type key and the universal member become restored.

5. The invention set forth in claim 4;

(q) each said disruptable connection comprising a key-operable lever having a two-branched slot;

(v) and comprising further a link jointed normally operatively with such lever in one of its two slot branches, each of said links embodying one of said stated elements so that when any of such elements is acted on by said universal member, there is automatically effected a disjointment of the operated link from said one slot branch into the other slot branch for idle non-transmitting support therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 548,157 10/1895 Crandall 19723 963,949 7/1910 Sholes 19735 X 1,061,018 5/1913 Schneeloch et a1. 19735 1,923,596 8/1933 Vanderwerp 197-13 2,127,514 8/1938 Hausman 19723 X 2,139,700 12/1938 Slavin 19714 X 2,527,016 10/1950 Loung 1972 2,891,649 6/1959 Peterson 19714 3,068,985 12/1962 Arthur 19714 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A POWER-OPERATED TYPEWRITER HAVING A PLATEN ROLL AND HAVING ALSO A SERIES OF DOWNHANGING TYPELEVERS ARRANGED IN FRONT OF THE PLATEN ROLL IN GENERALLY CONVERGING PLANES FOR UNDERSLUNG SWINGING MOVEMENT REARWARDLY AND UPWARDLY TO BRING TYPE RESILIENTLY BORNE THEREON FROM DIVERSIVE LOCATIONS REMOTE TO A COMMON PRINTING POINT AT SAID PLATEN ROLL TO A LOCATION THEREAT CLOSELY IN FRONT OF SAID POINT BUT SLIGHTLY SPACED THEREFROM, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) PIVOT WIRE MEANS FOR SAID TYPELEVERS COMPRISING IN FRONT OF THE PLATEN OF EACH SIDE OF THE PRINTING POINT, IN A COMMON PLANE WHICH EXTENDS TRANSVERSELY OF THE MACHINE, AN ARUCATE EXPANSE TO PIVOT WIRE WITH EACH EXPANSE HAVING ITS BIGHT FACING IN SAID COMMON PLANE TOWARD THE PLATEN ROLL AT THE PRINTING POINT; (B) SEGMENT MEANS SUPPORTING SAID TWO PIVOT WIRE EXPANSES AND AFFORDING FOR SAID TYPELEVERS AT EACH LATERAL SIDE OF THE PRINTING POINT A GROUP OF GUIDESLOTS IN CONVERGING PLANES AND WHICH AS GROUPS ARE DISTANCED LATERALLY OF THE MACHINE FROM EACH OTHER; (C) SAID TYPELEVERS BEING EACH ONE MADE OF A SHEET MATERIAL BLANK AND HAVING EACH A RELATIVELY LARGEAREA STIFF PLANAR PORTION GUIDED IN ITS RELATED SEGMENT SLOT AND HAVING EACH ALSO A TWO-BRANCHED TYPE-BEARING PORTION ANGULARLY DIVERTING FROM ITS LARGE-AREA TYPE-LEVER PORTION, SAID BRANCHES BEING SEPARATED BY A SLOT AND LOCATED IN A SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER AND THUS BEING INDEPENDENTLY FLEXIBLE, EACH OF SAID BRANCHES CARRYING A TYPE-CHARACTER AT THE END REMOTE FROM SAID LARGE-AREA TYPELEVER PORTION, ONE OF SAID BRANCHES EXTENDING PAST THE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID BRANCHES AND BEING CURVED TOWARD SAID OTHER BRANCH WHEREBY, WHEN SAID TYPELEVER IS OPERATED, SAID TWO TYPE CHARACTERS ARE POSITIONED ON A COMMON VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID TYPECHARACTERS SO THAT OPERATION OF ANY TYPELEVER TO TWO DIFFERENT EXTENTS WILL PLACE RESPECTIVELY ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID TYPE-BEARING BRANCHES SELECTIVELY IN FRONT OF THE PLATEN ROLL IN A PLANE WHICH IS TANGENT TO AN IMAGINARY CYLINDER THAT IS SLIGTLY LARGER THAN AND CONCENTRIC WITH THE PLATEN ROL, EACH BRANCH WHEN SO SELECTIVELY PLACED HAVING A TYPE LOCALLY FACING INDIVIDUALLY THE PRINTING POINT AND BEING ADAPTED TO BE FLEXED OPERATIVELY INDEPENDENTLY OF THE OTHER TOWARD THE PLANTEN ROLL AT THE PRINTING POINT, SAID TYPELEVER GUIDE SLOTS AS GROUPS BEING DISTANCED LATERALLY OF THE MACHINE SO THAT NORMALLY THE TYPE-BEARING PORTIONS OF THE TWO NEAREST TYPELEVERS BELONGING OPPOSITELY TO THE TWO SLOT GROUPS ARE DISPOSED WITH A CLEARING THEREBETWEEN; (D) MEANS TO PREDETERMINE SAID DIFFERENT OPERATING EXTENTS OF SAID TYPELEVER; (E) MEANS TO OPERATE SAID TYPELEVERS SELECTIVELY TO THE EXTENTS PREDETERMINABLE BY SAID LAST MEANS; (F) AND POWER MEANS OPERABLE LOCALLY IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAID PLATEN ROLL AT SAID PRINTING POINT TO ACTUATE ONLY SUCH TYPE-BEARING BRANCH WHICH BY A SELECTIVE EXTENT OPERATION OF A TYPELEVER IS PLACED TO FACE LOCALLY SAID PRINTING POINT. 